short story

noun

: an invented prose narrative shorter than a novel usually dealing with a few characters and aiming at unity of effect and often concentrating on the creation of mood rather than plot

Examples of short story in a Sentence

her very first short story was accepted for publication in a local journal
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Entries should be short stories about a group of friends on a camping trip who get stranded in the wilderness and discover a mysterious set of footprints. Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 2 Feb. 2025 When Basil shares with him one of his wacky short stories, Peter always finds something nice to say, no matter how trivial. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2025 That attention to nuance gets the film closer to the spirit of the novelist, poet and short story author than his previous screen adaptations — Alison Maclean’s Jesus’ Son and Claire Denis’ Stars at Noon. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2025 Known primarily for her children's literature, with just under 30 books and with numerous short stories to her credit, Simon had a long career writing for adults as well. arkansasonline.com, 25 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for short story 

Word History

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of short story was in 1861

Dictionary Entries Near short story

Cite this Entry

“Short story.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/short%20story. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

short story

noun
: a short work of fiction usually dealing with a few characters and a single event

More from Merriam-Webster on short story

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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